If you're looking for a Pokémon TCG Pocket tier list, you're in the right place. We've spent hours playing this spin-off card game, taking on both solo battles and online duels to decide on the best cards from the current pool. If you're still struggling to put together the resources for a Pokémon TCG Pocket meta deck, we've also got a tier list of the best rental decks so you can get busy earning pack hourglasses and picking up new cards for your collection.
If you're looking for more Pokémon guides while you're here, be sure to check out our picks for the best dog Pokémon, cat Pokémon, bird Pokémon, and horse Pokémon, all of which feature in our complete Pokédex. Or, if you'd rather revisit some classic titles than get involved in a new card game, check out our guide to the best Pokémon games to see if there are any that you still haven't gotten around to playing yourself.
Pokémon TCG Pocket meta tier list
With well over 1,000 cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket, deciding which are the best of the best in the current meta is no easy matter. Still, we've spent more than enough time putting together Pokémon TCG Pocket decks and playing online to figure out who comes out on top in the current meta, so you can check out which cards to aim for or build decks around in the table below.
| Tier | Pokémon TCG Pocket card |
| S | Miraidon ex, Mega Altaria ex, Greninja ex, Mega Absol ex, Indeedee ex, Greninja, Hydreigon, Oricoco (lightning-type), Chien-Pao ex, Baxcalibur |
| A | Teal Mask Ogerpon ex, Zoroark ex, Suicune ex, Mega Lucario ex, Chingling, Baxcalibur, Nihilego, Magnezone, Jirachi, Gourgeist, Absol, Igglybuff |
| B | Mega Kangaskhan ex, Bellibolt ex, Mega Steelix ex, Mega Gardevoir ex, Mega Charizard ex, Mega Blaziken ex, Mega Manetric ex, Decidueye ex, Darkrai ex, Leafeon ex, Altaria, Meloetta, Heatmor, Pichu, Magby |
| C | Gholdengo ex, Mega Swampert ex, Mega Venusaur ex, Blaziken, Eevee, Indeedee, Crawdaunt |
| D | Jolteon ex, Meowscarada ex, Alolan Ninetales ex, Buzzwole ex, Chandelure, Jolteon, Pheromosa |
In terms of the S-tier cards on our Pokémon TCG Pocket tier list, Mega Altaria is still the standout, with a tanky 190HP and an attack that can routinely deal 130 damage with just two energy cards equipped. Mega Absol ex also remains a staple of control decks, dealing 80 damage each turn while locking your opponent out of using supporter cards.
Greninja ex is another heavy hitter, and its fitting ability allows it to slink in and out of the active spot with ease on the off chance you come up against something that can deal a one-hit knockout with energy-depleting consequences. Base Greninja is also great, offering a way to deal some chip damage to your opponent's bench, which you can then take advantage of with a supporter card like Cyrus.
How we chose the best Pokémon TCG Pocket cards
We put together our Pokémon TCG Pocket tier list by combining our own in-game experience using different decks and by checking out the decks that are most used by the various content creators playing the game. However, the more cards that arrive, the harder it gets to decide which remains at the top of our rankings, so it might take us a little while to add the newest arrivals to our list.
What are the best Pokémon TCG Pocket meta decks?
If you've read the last two sections, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the best meta threats at the time of writing are decks that utilize Mega Absol ex, Mega Altaria ex, and Greninja ex. If you play a lot of ranked online battles, you're likely to run into these three cards time and time again.
However, we're expecting things to shift and evolve as new cards arrive in the game. It was only a few months ago that Mewtwo ex and Celebi ex ruled the roost, but now they're less common in meta decks, though some strategies have potential, and they're still fairly common to come across while battling online.
When are new Pokémon TCG Pocket cards coming?
Following the arrival of the latest Pokémon TCG Pocket set, Mega Shine, in late March 2025, we're not exactly sure when the next batch of fresh cards might arrive. So far, we've had a new set or mini-set roughly every month, so we could see more Pokémon arrive in late April, but we won't know for sure until The Pokémon Company makes an announcement.
If you're looking for more fun with digital cardboard while you're here, be sure to check out our guide to the best mobile card games. Or, if you're thinking of revisiting the Pokémon TCG, see our sister site Wargamer's guides to the best Pokémon cards and the rarest Pokémon cards.